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1972 in comics
Events * Marvel Comics forms their British publishing arm, Marvel UK (under the corporate name Magazine Management London Ltd.). * Phil Seuling founds East Coast Seagate Distribution, developing the concept of the direct market distribution system for getting comics directly into comic book specialty shops, bypassing the established newspaper/magazine distributor method. * Art Spiegelman publishes "Maus", a three-page strip which will eventually turn into Maus, for Funny Aminals cq], an underground comic published by Apex Novelties. * DC acquires licensing rights to the Marvel Family, originally published by Fawcett Comics. * Fleming H. Revell establishes Spire Christian Comics. * Jacques Glénat, at only twenty years old, establishes Glénat. January * Korak, Son of Tarzan (1964 series), with issue #45, cancelled by Gold Key Comics. (The title is acquired and continued by DC in June.) February * The Brave and the Bold #100 (Feb./Mar. cover date): Batman teams up with Robin, Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Green Lantern. (DC Comics) * With issue #206, Gold Key Comics cancels Tarzan, a title it acquired from Dell Comics in 1962. March * Marvel Comics launches its second ongoing Spider-Man title, Marvel Team-Up. * House of Mystery #200, edited by Joe Orlando. (DC Comics) *'March 4': Charles Biro dies at age 60. April * Marvel Comics launches Marvel Premiere, an anthology series. * With issue #207, DC Comics begins publishing Tarzan, acquired from Gold Key Comics. * With issue #89 (Apr./May cover-date), DC suspends publishing Green Lantern. May * Wonder Woman #200 (May/June cover date): 52-page giant, "The Beauty Hater," by Denny O'Neil and Dick Giordano. (DC Comics) June * Marvel Comics launches Luke Cage, Hero for Hire, which is the debut of the title character. * Thor #200: "The End of the World," by Gerry Conway (pages 1, 21), Stan Lee (pages 2–20), John Buscema, and John Verpoorten. * The Avengers #100: "Whatever Gods There Be," by Roy Thomas and Barry Smith. * The Darkhold, also known as The Book of Sins, is introduced in Marvel Spotlight #4. * Korak, Son of Tarzan, with issue #46, taken over by DC from Gold Key Comics. * With issue #12 (June/July cover date), All-Star Western changes it name to Weird Western Tales. (DC Comics) * With issue #5 (June/July cover date), The Sinister House of Secret Love changes its name to Secrets of Sinister House. (DC Comics) July * After a year-long experimentation with 25-cent, 52-page comics, DC Comics reduces the price of a typical comic to 20 cents, and returns the page count to 36 pages. * Sgt. Fury #100: "One Hundredth Anniversary," by Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers, and Mike Esposito. (Marvel Comics) August * Justice League of America #100: "The Unknown Soldier of Victory!", by Len Wein, Dick Dillin, and Joe Giella. * Forever People, with issue #11, is cancelled by DC. September * House of Secrets #100, edited by Joe Orlando. (DC Comics) * Stan Lee becomes Marvel Comics' publisher; Roy Thomas takes over as Marvel editor-in-chief. October * Date with Debbi, with issue #18 (Oct./Nov. cover date), is cancelled by DC. * Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth #1: new series by writer/artist Jack Kirby is launched by DC Comics with an October/November cover date). * New Gods, with issue #11 (Oct./Nov. cover date), is temporarily cancelled by DC (it is revived with issue #12 in 1977). * Silver Age inker Sid Greene dies at age 66. November *''Girls' Love Stories, with issue #180 (Nov./Dec. cover-date), cancelled by DC Comics. Conventions * '''June': Multicon, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma * July 1–5: Comic Art Convention, Statler Hilton Hotel, New York City * August 18–21: San Diego's West Coast Comic Convention, El Cortez Hotel, San Diego, California — Official guests: Bob Clampett, Harry Harrison, Jack Kirby, Katherine Kurtz, Mel Lazarus, Roy Thomas, Milt Gray Awards Shazam Awards Presented in 1973 for comics published in 1972: * Best Individual Story: "Dark Genesis", by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson, Swamp Thing #1 (DC Comics) * Best Individual Short Story (Dramatic): "The Demon Within", by John Albano and Jim Aparo, House of Mystery #201 (DC) * Best Writer (Dramatic Division): Len Wein * Best Penciller (Dramatic Division): Berni Wrightson * Best Humor Story: "The Poster Plague", by Steve Skeates and Sergio Aragones, House of Mystery #202 (DC) * Best Inker (Humor Division): Sergio Aragones * Special Award: DC letterer/proofreader Gerda Gattel "for bringing her special warmth to our history" * Superior Achievement by an Individual: Julius Schwartz "for bringing the Shazam Family back into print" First issue by title DC Comics The Demon : Release: Aug./Sept. Writer/Artist: Jack Kirby. Inker: Mike Royer. Kamandi, The Last Boy On Earth : Release: Oct./Nov. Writer/Artist: Jack Kirby. Inker: Mike Royer. Supergirl : Release: November. Editor: Dorothy Woolfolk. Swamp Thing : Release: Oct./Nov. Writer: Len Wein. Artist: Bernie Wrightson. Weird Mystery Tales : Release: July/Aug. Editor: E. Nelson Bridwell. Weird Worlds : Release: September. Editor: Dennis O'Neil. Marvel Comics The Cat : Release: November. Writers: Roy Thomas and Linda Fite. Artists: Marie Severin and Wally Wood. The Defenders : Release: August. Writer: Steve Englehart. Artists: Sal Buscema and Frank Giacoia. Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze : Release: October. Writers: Roy Thomas (plot) and Steve Englehart (script). Artists: Ross Andru and Jim Mooney. Hero for Hire : Release: June. Writers: Roy Thomas, John Romita, and Archie Goodwin. Artists: George Tuska and Billy Graham. Jungle Action : Release: October. Editor: Roy Thomas. Marvel Premiere : Release: April. Writer: Roy Thomas. Artists: Gil Kane and Dan Adkins. Marvel Team-Up : Release: March. Writer: Roy Thomas. Artists: Ross Andru and Mike Esposito. Marvel Triple Action : Release: February. Reprints early issues of The Avengers and Fantastic Four. The Mighty World of Marvel : Release: October 7 (weekly) by Marvel UK. Night Nurse : Release: November. Writer: Jean Thomas. Artist: Winslow Mortimer. Shanna the She-Devil : Release: September. Writers: Carole Seuling and Steve Gerber. Artists: George Tuska and Vince Colletta. Supernatural Thrillers : Release: December. Writers: Theodore Sturgeon (original story) and Roy Thomas (adaptation). Artists: Marie Severin and Frank Giacoia. The Tomb of Dracula : Release: April. Writer: Gerry Conway. Artist: Gene Colan. Werewolf by Night : Release: September. Writer: Gerry Conway. Artists: Mike Ploog and Frank Chiaramonte. Other publishers Archie at Riverdale High : Release: August by Archie Comics. Captain Paragon : Release: by Paragon Publications. Writer/Artist: Bill Black. Midnight Tales : Release: Dec. by Charlton. Artist: Wayne Howard. Mystery Comics Digest : Release: March by Gold Key Comics. The Rose of Versailles (Berusaiyu no Bara) : Release: May 21 by Margaret magazine (Shueisha). Writer/artist: Riyoko Ikeda. Wimmen's Comix : Release: November by Last Gasp. Initial appearance by character name DC Comics * Anton Arcane, in Swamp Thing #2 (Dec. 1972/Jan. 1973) * Bernadeth, in Mister Miracle #6 (February) * Jim Corrigan, in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #149 (May) * Destiny, in Weird Mystery Tales #1 * Devilance, in Forever People #11 (August) * Doctor Moon, in Batman #240 (March) * Effron the Sorcerer, in World's Finest Comics #210 (March) * Etrigan the Demon, in The Demon #1 (August) * Forager, in New Gods #9 (August) * Funky Flashman, in Mister Miracle #6 (Jan./Feb.) * Gilotina, in Mister Miracle #8 (May) * Human Target, in Action Comics #419 (December) * Jonah Hex, in All-Star Western #10 (Feb./Mar.) * Kamandi, in Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth #1 (October) * Kanto, in Mister Miracle #7 (Mar./Apr.) * Lashina, in Mister Miracle #6 (January) * Morgaine le Fey, in The Demon #1 (September) * Mad Harriet, in Mister Miracle #6 (January) * Matthew Cable, in Swamp Thing #1 (Oct./Nov.) * Nebula Man, in Justice League of America #100 (August) * Starbreaker, in Justice League of America #96 (February) * Steppenwolf, in New Gods #7 (February) * Stompa, in Mister Miracle #6 (January) * Terra-Man, in Superman #249 (March) * The Un-Men, in Swamp Thing #1 (Oct./Nov.) Marvel Comics * Adam Warlock, in Marvel Premiere #1 (April) * Brute (Reed Richards), in Marvel Premiere #2 (May) * Luke Cage, in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1 (June) * Diamondback (Willis Stryker), in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1 (June) * Dracula, in Tomb of Dracula #1 (April) * Dragon Lord I, in Sub-Mariner #52 (Aug) * Frank Drake, in Tomb of Dracula #1 (April) * Damon Dran, in Daredevil #92 (October) * Elric, in Conan the Barbarian #15 (March) * Kulan Gath, in Conan the Barbarian #14 (February 1972) * Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze), in Marvel Spotlight #5 (August) * Gibbon, in The Amazing Spider-Man #110 (July) * Grand Director, in Captain America #153 (September) * Hammerhead, in The Amazing Spider-Man #113 * Jonas Harrow, in The Amazing Spider-Man #114 (October) * Mister Fear, in The Mighty Thor #200 (June) * Night Nurse, in Night Nurse #1 (November) * Thundra, in Fantastic Four #129 (December) * Tigra, in The Cat #1 (November) * Rachel van Helsing, in Tomb of Dracula #3 (July) * Werewolf by Night, in Marvel Spotlight #2 (February) * Zarathos, in Marvel Spotlight #5 (August) Independent publishers * Captain Paragon, in Captain Paragon #1 (Paragon Publications) * Doctor Spektor, in Mystery Comics Digest #5 (Gold Key Comics, July) * Les Aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec, in Pilote #680 Comics